An excavation at the main drainage channel that ran under the streets of ancient Jerusalem has revealed a collection of well-preserved artifacts that offer unique insights into the state of the city at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said Tuesday.
The channel “passed under, amongst other facilities, the colorful markets of Jerusalem at the foot of the Temple Mount, and along the entire length of the City of David,” the IAA said in a press release.
This channel was usually cleaned regularly by municipal authorities, but the archaeologists found that it was half-filled with silt, indicating “a gradual neglect of city maintenance. And indeed, this very neglect and abandonment that we witness here corresponds to the story of the process of Jerusalem’s destruction,” said Dr. Ayelet Zilberstein, who directed the excavation.
Among the discoveries were a delicate glass vial, nearly perfectly preserved, several small oil lamps with soot still in them from use, various coins and beads, and a collection of ceramic vessels used to hold perfume and oil.
Also uncovered were a “large variety of pots and dishes” representing “nearly the complete tableware set of Jerusalem’s residents,” Zilberstein said, a collection “drawn from many houses and from different streets in town, thus presenting us with examples of almost all wares the city’s merchants had to offer.”